Alan Hawkshaw

Alan Hawkshaw
BEM
Birth nameWilliam Alan Hawkshaw[1]
Born(1937-03-27)27 March 1937
Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died16 October 2021(2021-10-16) (aged 84)
GenresRock and roll, pop
Occupation(s)Songwriter, recording and performing artist
InstrumentKeyboards
Years active1960–2021
LabelsEMI, KPM
Formerly ofThe Shadows

William Alan Hawkshaw BEM (27 March 1937 – 16 October 2021) was a British composer and performer, particularly of library music used as themes for films and television programs. Hawkshaw worked extensively for the KPM production music company in the 1950s to the 1970s, composing and recording many stock tracks that have been used extensively in film and TV.

He was the composer of a number of theme tunes including Grange Hill (originally library music recorded in Munich known as "Chicken Man") and Countdown.[2][3] In addition, he was an arranger and pianist and, in the United States with the studio group Love De-Luxe, scored a number 1 single on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart with "Here Comes That Sound Again" in 1979. His song "Charlie" is heard on Just for Laughs Gags.

He was the father of singer-songwriter Kirsty Hawkshaw (a member of the dance music group Opus III from 1991 to 1995) and also worked with artists such as Tiësto, Delerium, BT, Seba and Paradox.[citation needed]

  1. ^ "Works written by: Hawkshaw William Alan". ACE Title Search. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved 15 July 2010.[permanent dead link‍]
  2. ^ Pemberton, Daniel (15 June 2007). "There's a certain knack to penning a great television theme". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  3. ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (17 October 2021). "Alan Hawkshaw, Countdown and Grange Hill composer, dies aged 84". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 October 2021.